February 2018 VOLUME 85 / NUMBER 2 President Kevin Maher Publisher Frank Alkyer Editor Bobby Reed Contributing Editor Ed Enright Creative Director ŽanetaÎuntová Design Assistant Markus Stuckey Assistant to the Publisher Sue Mahal Bookkeeper Evelyn Hawkins Editorial Intern Izzy Yellen ADVERTISING SALES Record Companies & Schools Jennifer Ruban-Gentile 630-941-2030 [email protected] Musical Instruments & East Coast Schools Ritche Deraney 201-445-6260 [email protected] Advertising Sales Associate Kevin R. Maher 630-941-2030 [email protected] OFFICES 102 N. Haven Road, Elmhurst, IL 60126–2970 630-941-2030 / Fax: 630-941-3210 http://downbeat.com [email protected] CUSTOMER SERVICE 877-904-5299 / [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS Senior Contributors: Michael Bourne, Aaron Cohen, Howard Mandel, John McDonough Atlanta: Jon Ross; Austin: Kevin Whitehead; Boston: Fred Bouchard, Frank- John Hadley; Chicago: John Corbett, Alain Drouot, Michael Jackson, Peter Margasak, Bill Meyer, Mitch Myers, Paul Natkin, Howard Reich; Denver: Norman Provizer; Indiana: Mark Sheldon; Iowa: Will Smith; Los Angeles: Earl Gibson, Todd Jenkins, Kirk Silsbee, Chris Walker, Joe Woodard; Michigan: John Ephland; Minneapolis: Robin James; Nashville: Bob Doerschuk; New Orleans: Erika Goldring, David Kunian, Jennifer Odell; New York: Alan Bergman, Herb Boyd, Bill Douthart, Ira Gitler, Eugene Gologursky, Norm Harris, D.D. Jackson, Jimmy Katz, Jim Macnie, Ken Micallef, Dan Ouellette, Ted Panken, Richard Seidel, Tom Staudter, Jack Vartoogian, Michael Weintrob; North Carolina: Robin Tolleson; Philadelphia: David Adler, Shaun Brady, Eric Fine; San Francisco: Mars Breslow, Forrest Bryant, Clayton Call, Yoshi Kato; Seattle: Paul de Barros; Tampa Bay: Philip Booth; Washington, D.C.: Willard Jenkins, John Murph, Michael Wilderman; Canada: Greg Buium, James Hale, Diane Moon; Denmark: Jan Persson; France: Jean Szlamowicz; Germany: Detlev Schilke, Hyou Vielz; Great Britain: Brian Priestley; Japan: Kiyoshi Koyama; Portugal: Antonio Rubio; Romania: Virgil Mihaiu; Russia: Cyril Moshkow; South Africa: Don Albert. Jack Maher, President 1970-2003 John Maher, President 1950-1969 SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Send orders and address changes to: DOWNBEAT, P.O. Box 11688, St. Paul, MN 55111–0688. Inquiries: U.S.A. and Canada (877) 904-5299; Foreign (651) 251-9682. 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Box 11688, St. Paul, MN 55111–0688. CABLE ADDRESS: DownBeat (on sale January 16, 2018) Magazine Publishers Association. Á 4 DOWNBEAT FEBRUARY 2018 FEBRUARY 2018 ON THE COVER 32 Christian Scott aTunde COURTEST OF ARTIST Adjuah ‘Speaking to All Human Beings’ BY JENNIFER ODELL The trumpeter discusses his ambitious three-album series, The Centennial Trilogy, which was inspired by current events as well as the 100th anniversary of the first jazz recordings. We 26 sit down with one of the most exciting artists in jazz in his hometown of New Orleans. FEATURES Danny Janklow’s leader debut is titled Elevation. Cover photo of Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah shot by Erika Golding at the New Orleans Jazz Market on Oct. 24. 38 Victor Wooten Shared Awareness BY DAN OUELLETTE 5-Star Review 44 Houston Person +++++ Always Close-by Blues BY TED PANKEN 48 Sharon Jones ‘The Work I’ve Done’ BY GEOFFREY HIMES 53 209 Great Jazz Venues 80 Stacey Kent 83 Adam Rudolph 87 Nestor Torres 91 Marta Sánchez The Best Places To Hear Live Jazz Worldwide RECORDING SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS 96 Affordable, 106 Toolshed High-Quality 8 First Take Dave Pietro Studio Mics Wee Willie Walker BY KEITH BAUMANN 10 Chords & Discords 77 Reviews 100 Master Class 13 The Beat BY BRIAN LANDRUS 110 Jazz On Campus 26 Players 104 Transcription Benny Golson Sax Solo Danny Janklow 114 Blindfold Test Akiko Tsuruga Tia Fuller 6 DOWNBEAT FEBRUARY 2018 First Take BY BOBBY REED BOBBY REED Ingrid Jensen (left) onstage with her sister Christine Jensen at Dièse Onze in Montreal on July 1, 2016 Concerts That Defy Time A GREAT CONCERT CAN FREEZE TIME. A The entire room felt electric. The band roared great concert in a great venue can be one of life’s like an unstoppable machine. most memorable, fulfilling experiences—and Another particularly memorable night was I’m speaking as a fan and journalist, not as a July 1, 2016, when I went to Dièse Onze in professional musician. Montreal to see a quintet co-led by the gifted Some performances are so dazzling that siblings Ingrid Jensen (trumpet) and Christine they get seared into our memory banks, cap- Jensen (saxophone). The music was adventur- tured for decades, and we’re able to call them ous yet entirely engaging, the room had great up repeatedly, just like accessing a clip on acoustics, the crowd was attentive, and the YouTube. I saw Wynton Marsalis perform on food and beverages were superb. Everything July 11, 1986, and I remember it like it hap- about the show—the sight lines, the music, the pened last month. In my mind’s eye, I can still cuisine, even the temperature of the room— see his nimble fingers working those pistons as coalesced into a transcendent experience. As the stage lights shone on the bell of his trumpet, a patron, I felt like the club’s staff cared about creating sunbursts. I was hypnotized. my comfort. But more importantly, Dièse Onze That same year, I saw a memorable perfor- had created an atmosphere in which the Jensens mance by Lionel Hampton at an outdoor fes- could create mesmerizing improvisations. tival. He had stepped in to take the place of a Whenever I go to a jazz club, I care more scheduled headliner who had recently died: about how the venue treats the artists than how Benny Goodman. it treats me as a patron. After all, if the artists Those two shows stand out in my mind par- are treated well, they’re more inclined to do tially due to the overall context. The Wynton their best work. show was the first time I had seen the trumpet- On page 53 you’ll find our International Jazz er in concert, and his staggering chops matched Venue Guide, which includes listings for 209 the hype that I had read in the press. clubs around the world. We hope that this guide The Hampton show was bittersweet event. will help you discover artists and venues that On one hand, I was savoring the opportunity you’ve not previously encountered. Within the to see and hear the flurry of the vibraphonist’s guide, you’ll also find features on several clubs, mallets in action. But I was also lamenting the including Dièse Onze (see page 70). fact that I would never get to see Goodman— We’d love to hear your thoughts about your the man who had provided the soundtrack to favorite (and least favorite) jazz clubs. So, the many afternoons spent at my grandparents’ next time you have a particularly memorable house when I was a child. experience at a jazz venue, please send an email Other shows are special because of the to [email protected] and tell us about it. venue and the entire sensory experience. Such And be sure to tell the venue operator, too. Your was the case when I caught the Lucas Pino No constructive feedback might be the key that Net Nonet at Smalls in New York on Sept. 26. helps a venue to flourish. DB 8 DOWNBEAT FEBRUARY 2018 Chords Discords Way More DownBeat Material I am a longtime reader who started sub- scribing to DownBeat in 1974 while I was in col- lege. John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Or- chestra was my gateway to jazz and DownBeat was my monthly cover-to-cover read. Here we are 40-plus years later and I always seem to want more than what I get monthly from the print magazine. I’m wondering if you might start delivering much more daily content CENTER FOR THE ART OF PERFORMANCE on your Facebook page—perhaps things that don’t make it into the magazine, plus photos, RACHEL MURRAY/GETTY IMAGES FOR UCLA’S videos, reviews, etc. KEN HUNT SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA Editor’s Note: Check out downbeat.com, where you’ll find hundreds of interviews, reviews and news stories that are exclusive to our site. And please like us on Facebook, which we often use to link readers to exclu- John McLaughlin at the final stop on his farewell sive articles posted at downbeat.com. U.S. tour at Royce Hall in Los Angeles on Dec. 9 David Virelles (left) at Ravi Coltrane Satisfied Customer at the 2017 Winter Jazzfest in New York I started reading DownBeat back in the 1960s and have read it on and off ever since. I was spurred to write this note after reading Frank-John Hadley’s Xmas record reviews in the Holiday Gift Guide of your December issue. That’s just one example of how DownBeat leads me to great new artists and albums. PETER J. LOGAN SAN FRANCISCO JATI LINDSAY Defining a Masterpiece Digging the Digital Edition The soul-searching First Take essay by I want to compliment you on the digital Bobby Reed in your January issue rightly subscription.